1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to data processing and, more specifically, to systems and methods for protecting network services.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the most pressing problems facing both network operators and the entire Internet community today is the proliferation of botnets. A botnet is a collection of infected computers or bots that have been taken over by hackers and are used to perform malicious tasks or functions. A computer may become a bot when it downloads a file (e.g., an email attachment) that has bot software embedded in it. The typical botnet may include a bot server and one or more bot clients. A botnet may include multiple threats. The malicious acts performed by infected computers may include Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, spam, and financial theft. Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks are very attractive to botnet operators because they offer a reliable and robust infrastructure from which to launch malicious bot-related activities.
Botnets consume resources. To improve performance, network operators spend large amounts of money to maintain and upgrade their networks, which only makes them a more attractive target for the bot operators. Thus, network operators are spending more money on bad traffic each time they upgrade their network instead of deploying a robust bot mitigation solution.